Characterization of ionic permeability and water vapor transmission rate of polymers used for implantable electronics

Biocompatible polymers used as encapsulation and packaging materials for implantable electronic devices have to comply with numerous requirements. Especially their barrier properties against water molecules and ions are of particular interest regarding the reliability of the encapsulation as well as functional integrity of the electronic components since water and ions on the circuit board may evoke corrosion, leakage current and finally the failure of the device. This paper describes a measurement setup to investigate the ionic permeability under in vitro conditions of polymeric membranes manufactured from various biocompatible polymers. Ionic permeability and water vapor transmission rate representing the barrier properties of these membranes were investigated. First results were obtained for polyimide, silicone, polyether ether ketone and polyamide, whereas polyimide evinced the best properties.